CONTENTS JANUARY 2025
26 THE BEST OF 2024 WE PULLED FROM 12 MONTHS OF UNDISPUTED THRILLS TO GATHER NOMINEES FOR THE RING MAGAZINE’S 96TH ANNUAL YEAR-END AWARDS 28 FIGHTER OF THE YEAR 32 FIGHT OF THE YEAR 36 KNOCKOUT OF THE YEAR 40 COMEBACK OF THE YEAR 42 UPSET OF THE YEAR 44 ROUND OF THE YEAR 46 PROSPECT OF THE YEAR 48 TRAINER OF THE YEAR 50 EVENT OF THE YEAR 52 WOMEN’S BOXING AWARDS 54 ALL BUSINESS, ALL PERSONABLE GABRIELA FUNDORA IS THE NICEST STONE-COLD ASSASSIN YOU’LL EVER MEET By Thomas Gerbasi 56 ARTUR BETERBIEV VS. THE GREATS “KING ARTUR” IS TODAY’S TOP 175-POUNDER, BUT CHAMPS FROM THE PAST MIGHT’VE HAD SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT By Anson Wainwright 62 THE BEST FIGHT CARD EVER? IN FEBRUARY 2025, BOXING FANS WILL GET AN OLD-SCHOOL BATTLE ROYALE BETWEEN PROMOTIONAL RIVALS IN TITLE FIGHTS GALORE By Michael Montero
68 TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY
THE SAD DEMISE OF ISRAEL “MAGNIFICO” VAZQUEZ By Nigel Collins 72 MY FIRST TIME REVISITING THREE KEY MOMENTS IN A BOXER’S LIFE By Paulie Malignaggi DEPARTMENTS 2 OPENING SHOTS 6 COME OUT WRITING 8 RINGSIDE By Doug Fischer 12 STEVE’S SOAP BOX By Steve Kim 14 BERNSTEIN ON BOXING By Al Bernstein 16 BY THE NUMBERS 18 RING RATINGS PACKAGE 76 THE FACE OF BOXING By Thomas Hauser and Wojtek Urbanek 78 COMMISSIONER’S CORNER By Randy Gordon 80 BEHIND ENEMY LINES
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By Anson Wainwright 82 WORLD BEAT 92 RELAUNCH IN RIYADH 96 FIGHTLINE
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